Hot Crowd is a 501(c)3 non for profit Chicago-based modern dance company located in Logan Square whose goal is to stimulate and inspire dancers and non-dancers alike through innovative movement, community interaction and accessibility to strengthen and spread the art of modern dance throughout the Chicagoland area and beyond.
THE ARTISTS
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Devon Lloyd
Co-Director, Operations Exec & Brand Manager
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Ariana Fonzo
Communication Engagement Assistant, Dancer & Choreographer
Lauren Janney
Dancer & Choreographer
Gabriela Chauta
Guest Artist
Brittany Latta McMahon
Co-Director & Programs Director
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Kyra Laster
Dancer & Choreographer
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Josephine Starr
Dancer
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Anna Labriola
Guest Artist
Lindsey Scouten
Artistic & Development Associate, Dancer & Choreographer
Haley Tarling
Dancer & Choreographer
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Maya Villanueva
Guest Artist
Terra Feidler
Guest Artist
Meet The Crowd
Devon Lloyd
Co-Director // Operations Executive, Brand Manager, Festival Applications, Studio Outreach
Devon Lloyd is a dancer, educator, adjudicator, and third-space curator from Naperville, Illinois, currently based in DeKalb, Illinois. She graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in Dance from Western Michigan University. Originally trained in jazz and tap, her undergraduate studies ignited a deep passion for modern dance. Known for her powerful attack and physicality, Devon is driven to challenge movement norms and expand artistic possibility.
During her time at WMU, she worked with renowned artists including Peter Chu, Eddie Ocampo, Rennie Harris, and Ohad Naharin. She also performed multiple works by mentor Carolyn Pavlik that were presented at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
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Following graduation, Devon deepened her commitment to dance education, becoming a versatile and sought-after choreographer and technique consultant. She has traveled nationwide teaching and choreographing for studio and dance team programs. Prior to co-leading Hot Crowd, Devon spent more than 12 years with Universal Dance Association, notably leading Varsity athletes in the London New Year's Day Parade and adjudicating at both high school and collegiate levels. In 2018, Devon joined Hot Crowd under the Director Emily Rayburn.
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In 2021, she and Brittany Latta McMahon transitioned into leadership roles within Hot Crowd. Serving in multiple capacities, Devon’s mission is to champion versatility within the arts—affirming that no dancer is “just a dancer.” She believes every individual’s story, experience, and knowledge enrich the creative process and unlock new possibilities.
Devon currently teaches at LOVV The Dance Studio and Plainfield Dance Academy and serves as Show Director and Emcee for CRU Dance Competition. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her wife and their nine beloved pets.
Brittany Latta McMahon
Co-Director // Rehearsal Director & Programs Director
Brittany Latta, originally from the Chicago suburbs, received her BA in Dance at Western Michigan University. She trained intensively in ballet, modern, jazz and hip hop, fusing the techniques together to create a unique style. Her Holistic Health Care minor compliments her dance portfolio by providing a distinctive understanding of movement mechanics in the human body, creating methods in approaching performance through a mind-body connection to herself and those around her. While in undergrad, she worked with renowned choreographers Gabrielle Lamb and Rennie Harris as well as under WMU faculty members David Curwen, Whitney Moncrief and Monique Haley. At WMU, she received the Luscombe Grant where she was able to collaborate with composers, musicians and poets, which further supported her dance endeavors. Post grad, Brittany trained as a scholarship student at Visceral Dance Center under the direction of Nick Pupillo. In 2017, Brittany joined Hot Crowd under the direction of Emily Rayburn. With Hot Crowd, she has had opportunities to work with dancers and choreographers of various styles including Joseph Hernandez, Jessica Miller Tomlinson, Katie Carey of Purus Motus and Jessi Stegall. In 2021, Brittany joined Banks Performance Project under the direction of Elysia C. Banks, where she had the pleasure of performing pieces by Grant Hill and Elysia C. Banks, adding to her experience of performing various styles. In August of 2021, Brittany took over as Co-Artistic & Programs Director of Hot Crowd where she has choreographed for each self produced show and continues to focus on the success of the organization alongside Co-Artistic and Operations Director, Devon Lloyd. When Brittany is not in rehearsal, you can find her teaching or choreographing, using movement as a platform for inspiration and change in the community.
Lindsey Scouten
Artistic & Development Associate, Dancer & Choreographer
Lindsey Scouten (she/her) is a Chicago based movement artist, choreographer and educator. She is a graduate of George Mason University, where she had the opportunity to work with artists such as Susan Shields, Roger Jeffrey, Ethan Brown, Christopher d’Amboise, Caroline Rocher, Jean Emile and more. During her four years she also had the opportunity to study Nacho Duato’s, Na Floresta, and perform an excerpt of Mass, by Doug Varone, in their annual Gala Fete. During her freshman year she was awarded the “Emerging Freshman Artist Award,” with scholarship. Lindsey has gained additional training at intensives with Complexions Contemporary Ballet, FLOCKWORKS and GALLIM. Throughout her professional career she has had the pleasure of collaborating and performing with the Merce Cunningham Trust, Company Danzante, Visceral Dance Chicago, RawArts Dance Company, Alluvion Dance Chicago, Joel Hall and Dancers, Meadows Dance Collective, PURUS MOTUS, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago, as well as numerous freelance projects. Some of her most notable performances include works by Andrea Miller, Jessi Stegall, Noelle Kayser, Katie Carey, Osnel Delgado, and Gianna Burright. She is excited to enter her fifth season with Hot Crowd as its Artistic and Development Associate, company choreographer and company artist.
Ariana Fonzo
Dancer
Ariana Fonzo is a dancer originally from just outside Atlanta, GA, where she began her dance training in ballet, tap, and jazz. Ariana graduated from the University of Utah in 2021, with both a BFA in Ballet and a BS in Strategic Communication. While at the "U," Ariana further cultivated her artistry and worked with faculty and guest artists including Katlyn Addison, Jennifer Archibald, and Melissa Bobick. Post graduation, she accepted a traineeship with Ballet Idaho for their 2021-2022 season, where she performed alongside the company in Peter Anastos’ Nutcracker, Bruce Wells' Beauty and the Beast, and George Balanchine’s Serenade. After moving to Chicago, Ariana danced with Visceral Dance Chicago as a trainee for their 2022-2023 season and worked with many choreographers, including Nick Pupillo, Jackie Nowicki, Rodrick George, and Danielle Agami. Ariana has additionally danced for the University of Utah Ballet Choreographic Institute and Project 773 Dance, and has performed works by Alejandro Cerrudo, Marguerite Donlon, Quinn B. Wharton, and both Alice Klock and Florian Lochner of FLOCK. This is Ariana’s third season with Hot Crowd, and she’s excited to continue pursuing authenticity, depth, and whimsicality in her work as a Company Artist!
Kyra Laster
Dancer & Choreographer
Kyra Laster is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher based in Chicago, Illinois. She is a graduate of Western Michigan University where she received a BFA in Dance and a BBA in Marketing. During her time at WMU, Kyra participated in numerous Department of Dance concerts where she performed works choreographed by faculty, peers, and guest artists BAIRA and Mike Esperanza.
In 2019, she became the Artistic Director of Hip Hop ConnXion Michigan, a branch of the professional hip hop company based in Chicago. Kyra currently is a company member with Hot Crowd and Dance In The Parks in addition to being Studio Manager American Dance Center and Program Manager for Dance City Festival.
Haley Tarling
Dancer & Choreographer
Haley is a dancer, choreographer and teacher located in Chicago, IL. She is a graduate of Point Park University with a BFA in dance and a BA in psychology. While there, she worked with artists such as Kiki Lucas, Maree ReMalia, Jason McDole, Pearlann Porter and Kiesha Lalama. In addition, in 2019 she had the opportunity to perform a work by Caili Quan through DanceWorks Chicago’s ChoreoLab. Her earlier training consisted of dancing as a member of Extensions Dance Company, under the direction of Lizzie MacKenzie, where she performed works by Eddy Ocampo, Christian Denice, Garth Johnson and Jared Baker. Most recently, she had the opportunity to dance in two music videos for the band Course, choreographed by Lizzie MacKenzie and Jackie Nowicki, as well as numerous projects with Sydney Jones. She was the Emerging Choreographer for Young Dancers Initiative's 2021 partnership with Brighton Dance Festival, has presented work at Dance Chicago, Trifecta Dance Festival and was commissioned by Simantikos Dance Chicago. As an artist, she strives to embody expansion, authenticity and grit, while telling stories that reflect human experience through the metaphor of intellectual ideas.
Lauren Janney
Dancer & Choreographer
Lauren Janney is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher currently based in Chicago, IL. Originally from Rochester Hills, MI, Lauren graduated with a BFA in Dance and a Music minor from Western Michigan University. During her time there she performed in works from many renowned choreographers such as Yin Yue, Jackie Nowicki, Bryan and Shaina Baira, and Mike Esperanza, as well as performing in multiple faculty pieces and being a part of Western Dance Project. She moved to Chicago shortly after to pursue more opportunities in dance performance and choreography. She is currently a company member with Hot Crowd, as well as a teacher and choreographer with American Dance Center. Since then she has showcased her dancing all over the Chicago region. Her movement quality and choreography indulges in musicality and strives to break the barriers between various styles. Lauren grew up as a versatile dancer studying and performing styles such as ballet, modern, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, and acro, as well as being a part of musical theater productions. In addition to everything in her dance career, she has also been greatly inspired by her background in music/vocal performance.
Josephine Starr
Dancer
Josephine (Josie) Starr, born and raised in Marshall, Missouri, began her dance training at Broadway Bound Dance Studio under the direction of her mentor, Torey Spitzig. She graduated with a BFA in Dance and departmental honors from Webster University.
Josie has had the privilege of training with companies across the United States, including Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Inaside Dance Chicago, and Visceral Dance Chicago. She continues her dance practice post-college, performing professionally throughout the Chicagoland area in both company and freelance capacities.
Josie’s passion for teaching developed after graduating and entering the professional field. She is committed to cultivating a safe and inclusive environment where students can explore their creativity without fear or judgment. Her teaching philosophy centers on fostering a supportive atmosphere that encourages artistic expression and personal growth.
Josie is deeply grateful to everyone who continues to support her and her work as she grows into her artistic identity.
Maya Villanueva
S.9 Guest Artis
Maya Villanueva (she/they) is a Chicago-based freelance dance artist. She holds a BA in Dance and a BS in Exercise Science from the University of Iowa, where they performed works by Martha Graham, Melinda Jean Myers, Tony Orrico, Stephanie Miracle, Kieron Dwayne Sargeant, and others. Maya recently performed with Synapse Arts under the direction of INSÉKTA (Camila Rivero Pooley) and has received additional training from Co/Motion Dance, Symbiosis Arts, Kizuna Dance, and Gibney.
Gabriela Chuata
S.9 Guest Artis
Gabriela Chauta (She/Her) is a dancer currently residing in Chicago, Illinois. Gabriela graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Dance with a concentration in modern from Kennesaw State University (KSU) in May of 2024. In her time as a dance major at KSU, she worked under choreographers such as Andrea Knowlton, Autumn Eckman, Caitlin Gray, Lisa K. Lock and Lior Lazarof. Gabriela was also a part of the collegiate program with ALA Dance under Atarius Armstrong and was a guest artist and company member with SOMOS Dance Company under the direction of Angelita Andrade during her late college years. More opportunities that Gabriela was a part of include being a dance extra in FOX television series Monarch, being a part of a dance film directed by Bubba Carr and assisted by Danni Heverin and being able to be a dance double in the Disney television series called Just Beyond.
To continue her training post graduation, she went to summer intensives with companies such as Hubbard Street, Visceral, Bodytraffic, Flockworks, Hot Crowd, and was a part of the Visceral Dance Chicago Trainee Program for a year under Caitlin Cucchiara. In her time as a trainee she worked with choreographers Abdiel Figueroa Reyes, Megan Rhodes, Braeden Barnes and Nick Pupillo. Currently Gabriela is a freelance dancer in Chicago who is constantly searching for the pursuit of artistic opportunities in the city
Anna Labriola
S.9 Guest Artis
Anna Labriola, from the suburbs of Chicago, began her training in both commercial and concert dance styles at a young age. Anna graduated summa cum laude from Loyola University Chicago in 2025 with double majors in Dance and Exercise Science. While at Loyola, she worked with artists and performed works by Martha Graham, José Limón, Miki Orihara, Daniel Fetecua, Vershawn Sanders-Ward, and Sarah Cullen-Fuller, among others. Following graduation, she has received additional training at Whim W'Him Winter Intensive, has done freelance projects in Chicago, and completed one season with Concert Dance Inc. under Venetia Stifler performing works by Osnel Delgado and Edson Cabrera.
Terra Feidler
S.9 Guest Artis
Terra graduated from Texas A&M University in 2024 with a BS in Kinesiology: Dance Science and a minor in Choreography. They were able to perform and choreograph in many capacities there: most notably presenting their own work for adjudication at ACDA. They were also on staff for MA Dance, a company member for Brazos Dance Collective, and a teacher at many studios throughout Texas and now Chicagoland. Terra moved to Chicago last fall to work as a trainee with Visceral Dance Chicago. They now dance for Noumenon Dance Ensemble and Hot Crowd Dance! They’ve had the opportunity to work with many notable choreographers, including, but not limited to, Nick Pupillo, Braeden Barnes, Kaia Olsen, Megan Rhodes, Carisa Armstrong, Diane Bedford, Elijah Gibson, Abby Williams Chin, Jane Weiner, Andy Noble, and Stephanie Pizzo.